Dec 30, 2006 02:41 AM
11934 Views
I am a regular reader of these review. But most of the reveiw are not complete. I will make this review short and sweet.
*1. Clean and lubricate your chain regularly - each 1000KMs will do. Check the chain tension.
Clean the aircleaner once in 1000KMs. You can use either diesel or Kerosine to clean. If oil needs to be applied, use good oil, squeeze extra oil from the sponge filter. More oil in the filter will reduce mileage as it will resist air inflow.
Change Engine oil and replace oil filters if any every 3000KMs. Some good engine oils are Castrol Active, Servo etc. Use the same brand oil if possible every time.
Check the sparkplug and clean it every 1000Kms. Replace it every 10, 000KMs.
Everytime, you wash your bike, make sure that you wash the engine portion with detergent so that there is no mud or greese on engine. If the engine cooling is less, engines will be less reliable.
Make sure that the disk brakes and break pads at rear wheel are not jamming. Both wheel should be free. Park the bike on center stand and rotate the wheels by hand and test it.
For every 500Kms, check the tyre pressure.
Use good petrol from reliable petrol pumps. Speed, XtraPremium, Reliance and Shell advance are some good fuels.
Do not race the engine in each gear. You should be changing the gears when the engine speed is sufficient to pull in the next gear. Do not run the engine at top gear in low engine speed as it will increase the engine wear.
For new bikes, change the engine oil for the first 200-300KMs. Frequent oil changes are necessary as the worn out metalic particles get mixed in the oil and further damage the engine parts. You can use less expensive 4T oils like Servo 4T if you are planning for frequent oil changes in first 2000KMs. I have a Fiero F2 from which I am getting around 60KM/Ltr even after running 17000Kms without any modification.
When you are selecting the bikes, if you need high reliability, look for engines with lower speed(RPM=Rotation Per minutes) and good gear ratios. Many bike manufacturers do a window dressing by giving high pick-up in low gears and high RPM. More engine rotation/KM means more engine wear. Example Fiero runs at 100KM/hr at 7500 RPM while Pulsor DTSi runs at 100KM/hr at around 10000 RPM. So Pulsor needs more frequent oil change than Fiero.
Do not make any modifications like increasing the height, increasing the tyre size, changing the carborator's Jet etc as it will decrease the mileage and overall performance over a period of time.
When there is a cold weather, allow the engine to heat up in slow speed. Run in 30-40 KM/hr speed. Do not race the engine when it is cold.
Do not switch off the engine immediately after a long drive. Allow the engine to run in idle for 30-40 seconds before switching off.
Last but not the least - do not assume that the mechanics at showroom will do the service as required. Most of them do not replace the oil filter, do not top up distilled water in your battery, but they bill for all these. Once you finish the free service, get it serviced from a good local mechanic and give him quality materials and instructions.
About me: I was a diesel engine mechanic, buying and selling old bikes were my part time job. Now I am working in a BPO as a manager. Long drives, trecking are my hobies. Request you to post your comments on this review. Thanks.
